6 Tips To Develop Your Child's Personality

Every parent wishes for her child to grow up to be a strong, confident individual who can handle any situation that is thrown at him/her. Young minds are very impressionable which is why you need to start very early to help mold your child’s personality. At the ages of 3 to 5, you can see your little one’s personality peeking through and here’s how you can make sure that this personality develops in a positive environment.

1. Be a good example

It is very important that you’re a good role model for your child. A lot of kids tend to copy or mimic things their parents do and every small thing you do will have a lasting impression on their developing minds. For example, if you lie out of convenience, your child will think that it’s okay for him to do so too. So be on your best behaviour at all times. Think of it this way - Be the person you want your child to be when s/he grows up and it’ll simplify things by a ton.

2. Labels are never good

The worst thing you can do to your child is to label them as shy, emotional, tough and so on, even if your child has attributes that fit those labels perfectly. By constantly labeling them, you’re essentially thrusting your own opinions onto your kids, leaving little to no room for improvement. Imagine always being called the shy kid even if you’re trying to be more social; Don’t ever let your child face such type of situations.

3. Understand that your child is unique

A lot of parents tend to compare their child to other kids and this leaves the child with a feeling of never being ‘good’ at anything. Every child is unique and it’s the parents’ job to nurture this uniqueness in their kids. Every child’s strengths, weaknesses, and needs are different and these pave the way to their budding personalities.

4. It’s the little things

Pay close attention to whatever your child is up to. Encourage him/her to talk to you about the day, no matter how unimportant it may seem in the grand scheme of things. You can learn a lot about your child just by lending an ear. This will also allow you to help them in things they might be struggling with - mentally or socially which is the basic foundation to raising an emotionally strong child.

5. Encourage group activities

Playing in groups and interacting with other kids of your child’s age will help expand his horizons a lot and she will understand that the world doesn’t operate in black and white. This will also encourage the habit of sharing, creativity and the ability to solve conflicts. So don’t let your child be a lone soldier especially if she’s an only child, taking her out in the real world is super essential.

6. Rules are important

Set a defined set of rules and make sure your child follows them. But don’t be rigid in the way you make sure your child sticks to the rules. If bedtime is at 9 pm and your child’s favourite movie is on, extending it to 9:30 or 10:00 is not a bad idea. But you should also make sure that your child knows the consequences of breaking the rules. Punishment shouldn’t be aggressive or violent in any way; try to punish your child ‘lovingly’. Explain to them the difference between right and wrong and why you’re sad or disappointed in their behaviour. This will teach them a great deal than any punishment ever will.